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printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

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tortoys
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printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

I have recently been having lots of problems printing from my PC to my wifi connected HP printer.   

The PC is ethernet connected to the router, and I have two TP link wireless range extenders connected over mains wiring.  

The problem appears to arise when the printer makes it's wifi connection via one of the wifi extenders.   When it does this the printer does not appear on the router's list of connected devices, and the PC says the printer is offline.     If I disconnect the extender and force the printer to connect to the router's wifi it works OK.  

The router doesn't list other wireless devices connected to the extenders (eg amazon firestick), but it does always see a device which is ethernet connected to the extender.  

Any ideas to resolve this problem?

 

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Baldrick1
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Welcome to the forum.

It sounds as if the wireless part of your extender is switched off as if I read your post correctly no wireless devices can connect with it. Does it have a wireless on/off switch?

It might be worth using a free wifi sniffer app, I use Wifi Analyser on an Android phone. With this you can check the strength of wifi channels. This will allow you to see whether the extender wifi is transmitting properly.

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Alex
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Yep welcome too.

As @Baldrick1 says one way I would rule that out, assuming you have a mobile with wireless capabilites is to test that.

I would turn mobile data off, and test the extenders from that device. See the strength, whether you have internet access and the speed too.

tortoys
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Thanks for you quick responses!  

The wireless connection on the extenders is working fine, my phone is connecting to them OK.  

The pinter says it is connected to wifi with IP address 192.168.1.9, but the router doesn't show this IP on the network, see screenshot attached. It's as if the router forgets about the printer if the printer is not active for a while.  

When the router doesn't show the printer on the network, the PC says the printer is offline.

 

 

 

Alex
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Ok sounds like it is not a subnet issue. Just to rule that out.

I assume you use DHCP? The printer doesn't have a static IP outside of the subnet.

Try pinging the printer IP, Start->Cmd ping 192.168.1.9 and see if you get any responses.

I've found with DHCP is when the printer IP is assigned a new address, as the DHCP lease has expired then it will stop working and you need to reinstall the drivers.

That got on my nerves, so I assigned my printer a static IP outside of the DHCP range. 

MasterOfReality
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Hi @tortoys 

 

A 3rd welcome from me (aren't we all lovely on here eh?) 

 

On a serious note, I couldn't agree with Alex more on this one - I've done the same myself at home and it now works a treat.

 

Please us know how you get on.

 

 

bobpullen
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Configuring the printer with a static IP may well work. It sounds like you may be affected by the firmware bug discussed in the thread here.

Bob Pullen
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Baldrick1
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

The @bobpullen link relates to a Hub One. If I understand it correctly the OP has a Hub Zero, which doesn't have a fixed IP address range set by default. If I am correct then @tortoys these are the steps you need to take https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Fix-ip-addresses-for-units-on-my-LAN/m-p/1546742#M6793

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bobpullen
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Ah, my mistake.

In which case I'm not aware of any acknowledged bugs that may lead to what the OP's seeing.

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tortoys
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Thanks for everyone's input, you are all very helpful on this forum!

The printer has magically reappeared on the network. I'm not sure if this happened before or after I pinged it like @Alex suggested, I should have checked before pinging, anyway the ping returned a sucessful result, and right now I can't reproduce my problem.   It has been happening off and on for a few weeks so I expect it will come back.   

Using a fixed printer IP address sounds a good idea, I don't seem to have an option to fix it by logging in to it through it's wireless connection to the router, I think I read somewhere you have to connect the printer to the PC with an ethernet cable. 

I have changed the DHCP range on the router in expert settings like @Baldrick1 suggested, I see that the DHCP lease expiry time is set to 24 hours, so maybe the problem will be back tomorrow.

I'm a bit out of my depth here, so I'm going to wait for the problem to reappear before taking the next step!

Baldrick1
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

I don’t know if this will help https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-set-a-printer-to-a-static-ip-address

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Gandalf
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Glad to hear your printer is working again on your network.

Let us know if the problem returns.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
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tortoys
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Thanks for your input.   I've been busy for a couple of days so haven't been able to try your suggestions out until now.  

I have changed the DHCP range on the router to 192.168.1.64 and above.  When I logged on to the printer, I didn't get the option to set a static IP address. After completely powering off it is now using an IP address of 192.168.1.9, which I guess is maybe a default IP address?  

My problem is definitely associated with using of wireless extenders.  The printer is located 2m away from the router, and about 8m away from an extender in a different room.    If I turn the extender off, and reboot the printer it immediately connects to the wireless signal from the router, and shows max signal strength (5 bars), the printer is seen by the network, everything works fine.   

But with the wireless extender on, the printer spends a long time finding a wireless connection, but then always chooses to connect to what I presume is the extender, with only one or two bars signal strength. The router doesn't see the printer on the network (screen shot attached) and I can't print.        

I guess this is really a printer problem!   The printer has a USB port but sadly no ethernet connection.  My question is why doesn't the router see the printer when it connects through the extender, and is there anything I can do about it?  Turning off the extender everytime I turn the printer on would be a pain, at the moment the printer is shuts down on a power saving circuit when the computer is shut down. 

Roger

 

Ndegwa
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Thank you for getting back in contact.

From what you have said, I agree this sounds like the extender is confusing the routing to your printer.  If the printer has a USB connection, i would suggest connecting the printer directly to a laptop or computer and you maybe able to find a way to either set the static IP address or even delete or forget the wireless extender from the list of wireless connection the printer can use.  You may need to download the software from the manufacturers site in order to do this.

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Baldrick1
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Re: printing problems using wifi extenders and sagem 2704n

Fix

A different approach would be to ditch your 2704 router, which has very poor wireless performance, see here. http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/plusnet/1403635/plusnet-hub-zero-2704n-review

Then spend about £30 on Ebay on a BT Smarthub 6. These have excellent wireless capability so very likely you  can dispense with the powerline units.

You will find the setting instructions for a Smarthub when connected to Plusnet on this forum board.

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